Emoji named word of the year

I’m not surprised that “emoji” is Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year, although technically it’s a pictograph.

Just the other week the iPhone released a new set of emojis. Those on Android are still waiting. I love my Android phone, but I want the new spider emoji since it’s the mascot of a school I support.

I am alarmed that emojis are becoming commonplace. I often find it a challenge to follow text messages from my younger friends because I can’t figure out what the emoji is, let alone the meaning.

But don’t worry, there is help. USA Today recently ran a piece with a video highlighting some of the rules of emoji use. You should know, too, that emojis look different on different phones and operating systems. If you want to know about a symbol or how it looks, you can check the Emojipedia, a reference guide to all things emoji.